West Central Reporter

The Western Illinois University (WIU) tennis team faced a challenging match against Milwaukee, ultimately falling short with a 3-4 scoreline. The Leathernecks struggled in doubles play, losing all three matches. At the No. 1 spot, Nour Gueblaoui and Chloé Routier lost 1-6. Paige Grice and Mana Fawcett also fell at the No. 2 position with a similar score of 1-6. Lara Souza and Richardlyne Francois showed promise but were defeated 2-6.

In singles play, the matches were fiercely contested, featuring multiple tiebreakers. Routier played at No. 1 but was defeated with scores of 3-6, 3-6. Souza's match at No. 2 included one of the day's three tiebreakers; she lost her third set in a close battle, ending with scores of 7-5, 0-6, and 6-7 (7-9). Grice secured WIU's first win by taking her opponent to a tiebreaker in the first set at No. 3 and winning it with scores of 7-6 (3-1), then finishing off in the second set.

At No. 4, Fawcett played a three-set match; she dropped the first set but won the second before losing the final set with scores of 4-6, 6-3, and 3-6. Francois performed strongly at No. 5; she won her match after taking a tiebreaker in the first set followed by an efficient second set victory with scores of 7-6 (4-2) and 6-1.

Gueblaoui ended on a positive note for WIU at No. 6 by dominating her two-set match with scores of 6-1 and 6-3.

The WIU Tennis team will aim to recover as they head on the road to face Chicago State Cougars on Sunday, March 2nd.

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